East Slopes North

A dusting of snow overnight won't be enough to increase the avalanche hazard. While conditions are generally safe, you could encounter small avalanches in wind-drifted terrain or rollerballs as sunny slopes warm up in the March sun. Consider the consequences of even very small avalanches when traveling in extremely steep terrain.

This small storm won't bring more than a dusting of snow to the east slopes of the Cascades, so don't expect much of a refresh.  The new snow won't be enough to form new wind slabs. But a skier-triggered wind slab on Sunday indicates that small, older wind slabs are still lingering around in upper elevations. So consider the risk before committing to consequential terrain. Even these small avalanches can cause serious injuries if you're pushed into rocks or over cliffs. The sun should be shining by mid-morning on Monday, particularly farther east of the Cascade Crest. After a chilly start to the morning, sunny slopes will warm up quickly. With negligible snow accumulations, you likely won't see much other than a few roller balls on steep sunny slopes. 

Earlier in the week, winds built slabs over a crust primarily on northerly aspects. After an initial round of avalanches, observations of instability have been few and far between. In sheltered areas at mid and upper elevations, ~8-14" of settled storm snow from last week sits above the most recent crust.  In exposed locations, the recent snow is heavily wind-affected, and on sunny slopes, slick crusts are the main snow surface you'll encounter. 

After several days of sunshine and diurnal spring temperature swings, you're likely to encounter variable surface conditions, including newly formed surface crusts, that vary across aspect and elevation. Snow cover is thin on southerly slopes and at low elevations. Be aware of exposed rocks and open creeks. WSDOT has begun plowing operations on Hwy 20 between Silver Star trailhead and Newhalem. The road will be closed to all traffic on weekdays while workers and machinery are operating.